Game



Feb. 1, 1944. JQH. bAwsoN GAME Filed Feb, 5', 1943 3mm I Jah: Dawson Patented Feb. 1, 1944 U UNITED sTATEsPAri-:Nr OFFICE GAME- John H. Dawson, Rockville, Md. Application February 5, 1943, serial No. 474,871

s claims. '(01. '27s- 101) This invention relates to games of the type having the sink the ship motif, in which a target is subjected to the hazard of being struck by a projectile from a shooter, and if properly struck, disappears.

The invention has for one of its objects the provision of means for correlating the target with the target supporting table whereby when the target is struck in a vital area, it moves in a translatory manner with respect to its support to a position in which it disappears, but when struck in a non-vital area, it cants or binds relative to its support, being thereby prevented from moving into disappearing position.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a game of the character described, a spinner mounting a shooter, with the targets arranged in operative proximity to the shooter, giving an element of chance to the direction of aim.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a spinner-mounted shooter in which the shooter may be aimed in altitude, whereby an element of skill as well as an element of chance is injected into the game.

Other objects of the invention will appear as I the following description of a preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of the following specification, and throughout the several figures of which the same characters of reference have been employed to designate identical parts:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a game embodying the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the spinner and shooter and the Ladjacent part of the game table;

Figure 4 is a cross-section taken along the line i 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a front elevation of one of the Referring now in detail to the several figures,

the numeral I represents a horizontal table supported in elevated position by means such as the legs 2 shown in IFigure 2. The table may be of any desired shape, but as here shown it is polygonal, with sides corresponding in number to the number of targets. The table is preferably surrounded by an upstanding rim 3 to limit the iiight of the projectile particularly when it misses a target.

The peripheral edge of the table, Within the rim 3 is formed with the elongated identations or slots 4 of such size as to permit the associated target to fall through said slot and thus to disappear below the playing surface of the table. The targets 5 may represent any desired object, but as here shown, they each represent a type of war vessel as illustrated in Figure 5. Each target is provided with a flat base 6 adapted to rest upon the playing surface of the table I and adjacent its middle portion each target is provided with the T-shaped lug 'I extending below the base 6 and forming the stem 8 with the underlying head 9. The stem 8 is preferably of polygonal cross-section and preferably rectangular. The length of the stem 8 is such as to provide lateral recesses l0 and II of substantially the same depth as the thickness of the table I.

The table I is provided with the recesses I2 opening into the slot 4. The horizontal sectional area of the recesses I2 is substantially the same as the cross-sectional area of the stems 8 and the shape of said recesses I 2 is preferably rectangular. Thus, the target 5 may be set upon the table I with the stem 8 fitting with some tolerance within the recesses I2 and with the lateral extensions of the head 9, fitting with some tolerance against the under side of the table I.

A spinner I3 is mounted on a vertical pivot I4, preferably in the middle of the table I. Said spinner preferably includes a disk I5, for the sake of momentum, on which disk is xedly mounted a shooter, in general designated by the reference character I6. The shooter may have any desired form but is here shown as representing a war vessel. The shooter is preferably slightly spaced from the diskl, as indicated at I'I in Figure 3, and is mountedupon ahorizontal pivot I 8 extending between the spaced lugs I9 which project upwardly from the disk I5 in fixedv relation thereto. The shooter has a longitudinal bore 2D opening at one end of the shooter and terminating short of the opposite end, wherebyan abutment 2| is formed. The bore 20 in that portion adjacent the abutment 2I houses a coil spring 22. The shooter is furnished with a projectile 23 having a stern 24 which freely ts the bore I9. When the projectile is pushed into the bore 20, it compresses the spring 22 and is held in potential shooting position by means of ,a trigger 25 oscillatable about the pivot I8 having a latch end 25 which engages a notch 21 in the stem of the projectile. The trigger is set by means of a nger actuated knob 28 and released by pressure of the finger upon the tailpiece 29. The trigger plays in a longitudinal slot formed in the top of the shooter I6.

The targets 5, when in place, normally present their face areas in planes perpendicular to lines extending radially from the axis of rotation of the spinner .and vintersecting: the stems 8 of the lugs l. The targets each presents a striking area extending laterally of and above the stem 8. When the projectile from the shooter strikes a target close to the stem 8, no appreciable tilting movement is given to the target, so that it moves backward under the impact of the projectile in a translatory manner with respect to the table l,

the stem 8 becoming disengaged from the recess I2 so that the target falls through the slot I. If the target is struck at a substantial distance above the base 6, it tilts away from its upright position, as indicated in lFigure 6, the forward edge of the underlying head S of the lug 'I and the rearward edge of the base 6 binding a-gainst the table I, thereby preventing the target from moving backward and disappearing. If the target be struck laterally at an appreciable distance from either side of the stem 8, the stem will tilt about a vertical axis and assume the binding position with respect to the walls of the recess I2 shown in Figure 7. This will prevent the target from moving backward and disappearing.

The targets may be given certain different numerical values so that in the playing of the gaine a total of points may be built up, the highest total winning the game.

In playing the game the spinner is rotated by a iiip of the finger against the disk I5, the direction in which the shooter stops being thus a matter of chance. Assuming that the spinner stops with the shooter aiming at one of the targets, the player has the option of aiming the gun in altitude but not in azimuth. Thus, both the element of skill and chance are present. If desired, the shooter may be xed with respect to the disk I5, in which case, the player has no aiming option, the playing factor being one of pure chance. The projectile has preferably been set under shooting tension before the spinner is rotated, and when the spinner has stopped, the player releases the projectile by pressing upon the tailpiece 29. If the shot strikes the target near the water-line, that is to say, the base 8, and near the midship section of the vessel, the latter is pushed rearwardly into the slot 4 and sinks. If the projectile strikes high, that is, in the superstructure or toward the bow or stern, the target binds and the vessel does not sink.

It will be understood to those skilled in the art that other targets than Vessels may be employed and that the rules by which the game is played form no part of the invention` What I claim as my invention is:

1. Game comprising an elevated table, a shooter swingably mounted on said table whereby it may be aimed circumferentially, targets at spaced positions in azimuth about said shooter, and facing said shooter, each target having means at its base interdigitating with means on said table and having an area in an upright plane extending laterally of and above said interdigitating means, said means being so shaped as to bind when said target is tilted either laterally or from its upright position and to move out of interdigitating relation when struck without tilting, said table being provided with a slot back of said target into which said target falls when said interdigitating means are disengaged.

2. Game comprising an elevated table, a shooter mounted on said table, a target resting on said table in normal upright position facing in possible lines of aim of said shooter, said target having a lu-g extending from its base comprising a stem. of oblong cross-section and an enlarged head, said table having a parallel sided recess into which said stem slidably ts, the length of said stem being slightly greater than the thickness of said table adjacent said recess, whereby when said vtarget is struck at points remote from said stem it tilts away from its upright position binding against the table between its base and head orv tilts laterally binding said stem in said recess, but when struck adjacent said stem it moves back in said recess without binding, said table being provided with a slot back of said target into which said recess opens, through which said target falls when disengaged from said recess.

3. Game comprising an elevated table, a shooter pivotally mounted on said table to be trained in an azimuthal direction, a target resting on said table in normal upright position facing possible lines of aim of said shooter, said target having a lug extending from its base comprising a stem of oblong cross-section and an enlarged head, said table having a parallel sided recess into which said stem slidably fits, and the length of said stem being slightly greater than the thickness of said table adjacent lsaid recess, whereby when said target is struck at points remote from said stem it tilts away from its upright position binding against the table between its base and said head or tilts laterally binding said stem in said recess, but when struck adjacent said stem it moves back in said recess without binding, said table being provided with a slot back of said target into which said recess opens, through which said target falls when disengaged from said recess.

4. Game comprising an elevated table, a spinner pivotally mounted on said table on a vertical axis, a shooter mounted on said spinner, targets at spaced positions in azimuth about said spinner and facing said spinner, each target having means at itswbase interdigitating with means on said table and having an area in an upright plane extending laterally of and above said interdigitating means, said means being so shaped as to bind when said target is tilted either laterally or from its upright position, but to permit disengagement of said interdigitating 4means through translatory movement of said target when struck without tilting, said table being provided with a slot back of said target into which said target falls when said interdigitating means are disengaged. i

5. Game comprising an elevated table, a spinner pivotedon said table on a vertical axis, a shooter mounted on said spinner, normally upright targets at spaced positions in azimuth about said spinner and facing said spinner, each target having a lug extending from its base comprising a stem of oblong cross-section and an enlarged head, said table having a parallel sided recess Yfor each target into which said stem slidably fits, the Vlength of said stem being slightly greater than the thickness of said table adjacent said recess, whereby when said target is struck at points remote from said stem it tilts away from its upright position binding against the table between its base and said head, or tilts laterally binding said stem in said recess, but when struck adjacent said stem it moves back in said recess without binding, said table being provided with a slot back of said target into which said recess opens, through which said target falls when disengaged from said recess.

6. Game comprising an elevated table, a spinner pivoted on said table on a vertical axis, a shooter carried by said spinner pivoted thereon to swing in a vertical plane, normally upright targets at spaced positions in azimuth about said spinner and facing said spinner, each target having a lugextending from its base comprising a stem of oblong cross-section, and an enlarged head, said table having a parallel sided recess for each target into which said stem slidably ts, and the length of said stem being slightly greater than the thickness of said table adjacent said recess, whereby when said target is struck at points remote from said stem it tilts away from its upright position binding against the table between its base and said head, or tilts laterally binding said stem in said recess, but when struck adjacent said stem it moves back in said recess without binding, said table being provided with a slot back of said target into which said recess opens, through which said target falls when disengaged from said recess.

'7. Game comprising an elevated table, a spinner pivoted on said table on a vertical axis, a shooter mounted on said spinner, said shooter comprising a member having a longitudinal bore opening in one end of said member and closed at the opposite end, a projectile having a stem insertable in said bore having a set position,

means in said bore tensioned by said projectile when in set position, a trigger adapted to hold said projectile in set position and having means for releasing said trigger, normally upright targets at spaced positions in azimuth about said spinner and facing said spinner, each target having means at its base interdigitating with means on said table and having an area in an upright plane extending laterally -of and above said interdigitating means, said last named means being so shaped as to bind when said target is tilted either laterally or from its upright position but to permit disengagement of said interdigitating means through translatory movement of said target when struck Without tilting, said table being provided with a, slot back of said target in which said target falls when said interdigitating means are disengaged.

8. Game board comprising an elevated table, a shooter mounted on said table, a target normally resting upright on said table having its front face positioned to be in possible lines of aim of said shooter, said game board being provided with a space back of said target extending below the plane of said table into which said target falls when moved suiciently backward, said target and table having cooperating interdigitating means freely engageable to permit backward movement of said target toward said space responsive to the force of a projectile impinging upon its front face adjacent the interdigitating means of said target, said cooperating interdigitating means being so shaped as to bind, preventing bodily backward movement of said target, when the latter is tilted responsive to the force of a projectile impinged upon its front face at points remote from the interdigitating means of said target.

JOHN H. DAWSON. 

